The invention herein is a mine roller used to detonate buried land mines in the path of a tank or other vehicle. A mine roller typically comprises a frame upon which are mounted a set of heavy wheels or wheel-like structures. The mine roller is pivotally connected to the tank so that it can swing up or down relative to the tank, and thereby more effectively follow terrain contours. When the mine roller is pushed ahead of a tank through a mine field, the weight of the wheels triggers the buried mines.
Mine explosions throw the mine roller upward and rearward toward the tank. Mine rollers typically include means to limit such upward, rearward motion so as to protect structures mounted on the turret or on the upper hull of the tank. After being stopped in their upward, rearward motion, mine rollers rebound downward toward the hole created by the mine explosion. If the roller rebounds into the hole, the tank may run over the roller, damaging itself or the roller, and possibly immobilizing the tank. Therefore, mine rollers normally include a mechanism to prevent the downward rebound. One rebound prevention means is a cable assembly connected between the front upper hull of a tank and the frame of the mine roller. Typical cable assemblies are relatively expensive, cannot reliably survive more than 4 or 5 mine explosions, and are difficult to install on a tank. One such assembly is found on the M1A1 tank currently used by the U.S. Army. For the cable assembly on the M1A1 tank, it is also necessary to have a winch on the tank for raising the forward end of the mine roller in order to attach the mine roller to tank.
Another problem encountered with conventional mine rollers occurs when using them on rough terrain, particularly when steep ridges or deep ditches are encountered. Often a portion of the mine roller frame will not clear obstacles at the peak of a ridge or will dig into the side of a steep slope as the mine roller travels. When the mine roller thus fails to negotiate the terrain, both it and the tank are sometimes immobilized, whereby a mine field fails to be cleared and a special retrieval may be needed to rescue the tank. Retrieval may be hazardous or impossible in combat situations and the tank crew may then face life-threatening danger when escaping from the tank.